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| The fate of your $2,000 coronavirus aid check is in doubt. The troubled Boeing 737 Max is back in the air. And not to alarm anyone, but a mink infected with a mutated COVID-19 strain escaped in Oregon. |
| It's Ashley with the news you need to know. |
| But first, tired of 2020? Consider ringing in the new year before midnight with "Noon Year's Eve." |
| The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe here! |
What's it going to be, Senate? |
| All eyes are on the U.S. Senate after the House passed two contentious measures that force Republicans into a difficult position, having to decide whether to back President Donald Trump's call to increase coronavirus relief checks for Americans to $2,000 despite the party's long-held objections to increased government spending. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked immediate approval of increasing the one-time payments from $600 to $2,000 Tuesday. Instead, the GOP leader outlined priorities the president demanded Congress examine, linking the increased aid payments with Trump's calls to repeal Section 230, which allows big tech companies legal immunity, and for an examination of election integrity after Trump's unproven claims of voter fraud in his defeat. This week, the Senate will begin a process to bring these priorities "into focus," McConnell said. |
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Ready for takeoff in a Boeing 737 Max? American Airlines sure is |
| Boeing's 737 Max, the jetliner grounded for 20 months after two international crashes, returned to U.S. skies with paying passengers Tuesday. American Airlines' Flight 718, the first commercial 737 flight by a major U.S. airline since the aircraft's recertification Nov. 18, flew from Miami to New York's LaGuardia. Other airlines plan to follow suit: United and Southwest anticipate they'll resume Max flights next year. All Max jets worldwide were grounded in 2019 after two fatal crashes that together killed 346 people. In November, the Federal Aviation Administration approved changes – mainly in flight control software – that allowed airlines to resume flying the plane. Boeing still faces public unease: A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday says 26% of Americans are likely to fly in a Max jet right now. |
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 | | American Airlines Flight 718, a Boeing 737 Max, takes off from Miami International Airport on its way to New York on Dec. 29. The Boeing 737 Max flew its first commercial flight since the aircraft was allowed to return to service nearly two years after being grounded worldwide following a pair of crashes. | | Joe Raedle, Getty Images | |
What everyone's talking about |
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6 deaths reported as magnitude 6.3 earthquake strikes Croatia |
| A magnitude 6.3 earthquake rocked central Croatia on Tuesday, destroying buildings and sending panicked people fleeing into rubble-covered streets in a town southeast of the capital. Authorities said at least six people were killed and dozens were injured. The quake caused widespread damage in the hardest-hit town of Petrinja, the same area that was struck by a 5.2 quake Monday. Officials said a 12-year-old girl died in Petrinja, and five people were killed in a nearly destroyed village close to the town, according to the state HRT television. |
 | | A strong earthquake hit Petrinja in central Croatia, causing major damage southeast of the capital, Zagreb. | | AP | |
Oregon mink infected with coronavirus escaped from farm |
| Let's get this part out of the way: The runaway mink was caught, but it's less-than-ideal the little fellow got out. Officials confirmed that the mink, infected with coronavirus, escaped from a farm that was quarantined in November after an outbreak that affected both minks and humans. The infected mink was caught Dec. 13 and tested positive for low levels of the virus about a week later. Five opossums and two cats were captured around the same time, but none of them tested positive. Experts say there's "no evidence" COVID-19 is circulating or has been established in the wild, but the outbreak may affect wildlife populations and could "pose new risks" for COVID-19 mutations. |
 | | Minks look out of a cage at a fur farm in the village of Litusovo, northeast of Minsk, Belarus. Coronavirus infections have become a problem at mink farms. | | Sergei Grits/AP | |
Best of 2020: Education |
| USA TODAY editors came together to select the best stories of 2020. (Trust us, it wasn't easy.) Every day until we ring in 2021, I'll be rounding up some of the year's most powerful stories: |
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Check, please, but make it bitcoin |
| NFL offensive lineman Russell Okung is the first NFL player to be paid part of his salary in bitcoin, a type of digital currency. Okung is receiving half of his $13 million base salary for the 2020 season in bitcoin, according to a news release from Strike, a company that helps users convert traditional money to the cryptocurrency. The company claims that Okung, who is with the Carolina Panthers, is the first player in league history to receive part of his annual paycheck in the form of a digital currency. |
 | | Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Russell Okung is receiving half of his $13 million base salary in bItcoin. | | Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports | |
A break from the news |
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